An Indian vessel has been struck near Yemeni waters, India Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Tuesday.

"Indian MSV Faize Noore Oliya has been hit by a projectile near Yemeni waters, causing the vessel to capsize and sink," Sonowal said, without attributing responsibility.

"India strongly condemns this unprovoked attack on the defenseless mechanized sailing vessel. The safety of our people is our supreme priority and I am relieved to inform that ALL 14 seafarers (including 13 Indians) have been safely rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and brought to the Port of Mokha," he wrote.

Sonowal said he had instructed the country's Director General Maritime Administration to take "immediate steps" and "ensure the absolute security of Indian seafarers in the region."

India's Foreign Ministry also condemned the incident in a statement, and said its Embassy in Riyadh was "closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with Yemeni authorities."

Concerns over shipping off Yemen's coast — approaching the western coast of Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea, rather than the Persian Gulf — has come into increased focus in recent weeks since the Iran-aligned Houthi militia in Yemen declared a "blockade" of Saudi Arabia and told commercial ships to avoid the area.

Continuing attacks on shipping 'deeply worrisome'
India's Foreign Ministry called for restoring free and safe navigation.

"The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome," the ministry said.

"The targeting of commercial shipping in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest," it said.

India is a major importer of oil, petroleum, natural gas and other goods from the Gulf region, and is directly connected to the region via the Arabian Sea. It is therefore one of the countries hardest hit by the economic disruption from the US-Iran war.

India currently contributes more than 300,000 seafarers to the global shipping industry, which is more than 10% of the global total, second only to the Philippines.